By giving Jeremy his life back, Bonnie essentially gave Elena her life back, too. Unencumbered by the sire bond, her grief, or a gaping hole where her humanity should be, Elena finally got to evaluate her love life with a clear head — and she chose to be with Damon. “In death, you’re the one that made me feel most alive,” Elena told him. Cue the mouth touching! Now, with her vampire boyfriend at her side, she might just be able to enjoy college.

It’s been a rough few years for Damon when it comes to his love life — but Julie tells us it’s finally time for him to have some legitimate joy in his life. “Yes. Absolutely,” she says. “We’re going to get to see Damon trying to be a good boyfriend, and while it’s not going to be easy, he’s going to try like hell to make it work, and they’re going to have a real opportunity for happiness.”